Amice's Viewpoints- Part 1 (real title's too long)
by TheLadySong
Summary: Another Viewpoints, about one of Alanna's daughters this time.
1. The Afterthought and the Dissapearing Ac...

Amice's Viewpoints- " The Afterthought and the Dissapearing Act"  
  
Thank you people for reviewing so promptly! just as a reward, here's something I cooked up this afternoon.  
Amice is a lot harder for me to write about. Emma's been around *forever* to my point of view, and Amice is like, two weeks old, so her character's still a little wobbly. Enjoy! Review!  
  
Amice smacked into the ground, raising a small cloud of dust around her. This Laylia was a lot stronger and faster than she looked. Amice got up and spun back around, feeling more respect for her opponent than she had a moment before. Laylia's fluffy blond hair was tucked back into a no-nonsense, severe bun, and already her forehead glistened with sweat.  
Amice shook her head to clear the sweat from her own eyes, and watched Laylia warily. One-on-one fight sessions were a mess. She saw Laylia's right fist come towards her shoulder, and her left towards her stomach. Amice grabbed them both, pulled Laylia forwards, and moved to the side, bending the younger girl over her hip to smack in the dust herself. Laylia lay there for a minute then got up. Amice shook her hand. "Good match."  
Laylia nodded, glassy-eyed from exaustion. As good as she was, her stamina needed improving.  
They gathered their equipment and headed on.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
All her life Amice had been an afterthought. The Lioness had been nearly thirty-two when Amice was born, and all her other children were nearly grown. After that it was a rush to convert the study back into a nursery, the sitting room into a bedroom, and so on. Not that Amice didn't feel loved. She just always felt like an intruder. She was the one who stirred things up just when the dust had finally settled.  
Going into trainig was her release, or so she thought. Then, everything changed. Amice had the Gift, which meant she had to work three times as hard as anyone else so that no one could say her Gift had won her shield for her. She was the Lioness's daughter, which meant she was looked up to and expected to be a leader.   
Of every person in Tortall, Amice most envied Clarinda of Green Mountain, who just faded into the picture. Clarinda wasn't slow enough to be punished, or bright enough to be noticed, came of parentage that wasn't noticeable but still respectable. Where Amice was of extremes, Clarinda was always a tempered, barely noticeable medium.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
"Laylia?" Amice pushed the door open. "Laylia? Are you here? We only have one bell of time before lights-out, and you haven't worked at all."  
Laylia's rooms looked completely devoid of life. Her spear lay on the floor, as if someone had dropped it. A practice glove lay beside it. This wasn't like Laylia at all; she was usually a very tidy person. Her books lay on the bed, with stray pieces of parchment strewn around them. Amice pulled one piece out of the pile. It had large, round letters. All it read was: I've got to get out or I'll never survive. 


	2. The Aftermath of Silvertree

Amice's Viewpoints-The Aftermath of Silvertree  
  
I'm sorry to ya'll that didn't want Emma to leave. I think she'll be back, but not as a page. Amice is still around, though! Think, she's one of the few that survived the first year! So...  
  
  
Amice sat in a notch in the battlements of the curtain wall and watched Emma ride away. It was sad, in a way. The realm was losing a young girl who surely would have been a great knight.  
  
The light was fading and the wind was growing cold. Amice went in. She had more to think about than simply losing a friend. Before, she had been so sure and certain immortals were just evil monsters who killed humans. As she thought, the night near Silvertree came back to her.  
  
  
  
*flashback*  
  
Emma, spear in hand, sat astride the unicorn with ease, her left hand twined in its mane.  
  
"They're coming!" she cried out.  
  
As she spoke, a spidren came hurtling down out of the trees. Emma cried and heeled her mount forward, but Laylia of Kirgiz Step already severed its neck.  
  
Emma spun around, pointing to the trees behing them. "There!"  
  
Light from Amice's Gift sillouetted the ugly shape. She hurled her spear with all her strength. The spidren screamed; it was not yet dead.  
  
More spidrens came swinging out of the trees. Confusion reigned as pages and unicorns fought the human-headed spiders together.  
  
  
  
Amice came back to herself to see that the sun had set. Torches throughout the palace and city were being lit. She went in to her study group.  
  
"She's really gone." she said.  
  
Everyone looked up at her, and no one said anything. That Emma was immortal had come as a shock to them all. The only ones in the entire palace who were not surprised were Daine, Tkaa and Kitten, all of whom could sense immortals. Apparently Emma had asked them to keep quiet, as a boon to a far-off kin.  
  
Alara, a girl not many people liked, yawned, "Just as well. I'd never trust her ever again."  
  
Amice sighed. Most people shared Alara's sentiment. That was part of the reason Emma chose to leave.  
  
Gessa frowned. "That's not right. Emma saved us all from the spidrens, and she was one of the best out on the practice courts. We should get her to come back."  
  
"No, she's already left." Creshan said. "It was her choice, even though I think Wyldon leaned on her a little. Besides, she's still going to be a fighter, just not a knight."  
  
"It's sad. Since the war in 453, no one has trusted immortals at all."  
  
"We trust master Tkaa."  
  
"But that's different."  
  
"I don't trust that hulking misfit of a lizard."  
  
Amice saw a fight brewing. Rather than try to stop them, she only picked up her books and left for her room.  
  
Okay, once again, I'm sorry that Emma couldn't stay on as a page. But that doesn't mean she's leaving this series. It's just that this was getting a little... stagnant. It was harder and harder to write. I had to stir things up a little. (and i am certain that that last remark will inspire a flame or two) Look out over the next week or so, because Emma's Viewpoint is due out soon. 


	3. The Summer of 469 and a Cat Named Dirk

Amice's Viewpoints-"The Summer of 469 and a Cat Named Dirk  
  
Note: by mutual consent lorraine and I have bumped up the plot, so Amice is a squire to her sister Alianne, and Laylia has newly been made a squire. It is the year 469 HE. So enjoy a fifteen year old Amice, and fourteen year old Emmas, Laylias and Thoms.  
  
Amice and Alianne spent that summer at Pirate's Swoop. It was a quiet year, so Alanna was at home a lot. Amice recieved word that Emma would be there in time for midsummer, and invited her to the celebrations.  
  
Amice kept busy, spending much time in the stable. It was to her delight that she adopted a small kitten in the stable. He was completely black, and with purple eyes. He looked like a cat she had seen in an old painting of Alanna as a newly made knight. After he showed quite impressive claws, she named him Dirk.  
  
Alanna never saw Dirk close-up until just before Midsummer. Amice had come to get her. They were going to ride out and meet Emma.  
  
Amice dashed onto the top of the scrying tower where her parents were. "Are you coming, or am I going without you?" she demanded of Alanna.  
  
"I'll be just a minute." Alanna said, smiling.  
  
"An I - need - to - put - away - my - mirror minute, an I'll - be - right - there - but - I - need - to - say - goodbye - to - Dad - like - I'm - going -off -to - war - minute, or an Amice - I'm - busy - and - don't - bother -me - the - Scanrans - are - invading minute?"  
  
George chuckled. "She's like you at that age."  
  
"I hope not." Alanna muttered.  
  
Amice stamped her foot. "So?" Dirk jumped up onto her shoulder, settled himself, and began to purr serenely.  
  
Alanna looked at Dirk with narrowed eyes. "Who is this?"  
  
Amice shrugged. "He's Dirk. He's a stablecat."  
  
"Can I hold him?" Dirk immediately stopped his serene pur and made to jump. Alanna grabbed him. "Oh, no you don't, laddybuck." Looking at her daughter's frustrated expression, she said, "Go tack up the horses. I'll be there by the time you're finishing."  
  
"Okay." Amice turned and left for the stables.  
  
The moment Amice was out of earshot, Alanna took the cat and held him out in front of her. "And what do you think you're doing?" she demanded of the cat.  
  
"Alanna, what's going on?" George asked, coming over.  
  
Alanna thrust the cat at him. "Look, it's Faithful."  
  
George studied the cat carefully. "Right down to the whisker. Isn't he dead?"  
  
"Ah, yes, that. I could kill you again for dying on me like that." she told the cat.  
  
Dirk/Faithful hissed, Shut up. The girl doen't know who I am.  
  
Alanna opened her mouth to say something when she head a shout from the stableyard below. Amice waved next to a saddled Darkmoon and a half-bridled horse. She put the cat down. "Be right there." They both made for the stairs and down to Amice.  
  
Emma noticed Amice's new pet, but if she knew he was immortal, she kept it to herself. Emma came to the Palace occasionally, and still trained with the pages and squires.  
  
As they talked, Emma told Amice about something strange she had discovered. She had been able to shape-shift lately, which kept her out of trouble in enemy territorry.  
  
Alanna looked thoughtful. "Perhaps George could find a use for this talent of yours."  
  
Emma arched an eyebrow. "Spy? sounds interesting."  
  
Heeheee. For once I have a lot of plot ahead of me. Emma's going to be a spy, and Amice a squire, and that's the way it's going to stay. I tried to write Emma back in but it just wouldn't work. 


	4. Amends

Amice's Viewpoints  
  
Autumn followed summer, and winter followed autumn, and life went on. Amice got letters from Emma, and saw Emma herself once in a while.  
  
Amice killed her first person, hunting bandits with Alianne. She dreamed about it sometimes.  
  
The boy, for he was barely older than herself, had cut the throat of his hostage, the one she had tried to save, and turned to run. Without thinking, Amice had heaved back her spear and thrown. The spear had hit him between the shoulder blades. He toppled down. Amice had thrown her arms out and cried out to the heavens.  
  
"Forgive me, Goddess!"  
  
- - - - -  
  
Amice woke, her room filled with the stench of sweat, flat on her back, with cold persperation on her forehead.  
  
She went to her privy and splashed water in her face. She had had the same recurring dream three nights in a row. Disgusted with herself, and knowing that she would get no more sleep tonight.  
  
Silently she padded back to her room and dressed. The open shutters permitted bright moonlight to stream in.  
  
As she pulled on her second boot, Amice stoped and leaned her head against her knee. She didn't know why it was bothering her so much. She had killed other people, and had no qualms. Why that boy stayed in her mind so much bothered her. How was she ever going to be a knight if she couldn't stomach this?  
  
Only a sentry was awake as she slipped into the palace temple for the Lady Song (see one of the early viewpoints for explanation). She sat and meditated.  
  
Questions settled down as she began. Slowly, piece by piece, she recalled the event.  
  
It left a sour taste in her mouth, seeing the young millwright's daughter crumple, her throat and chest turning red. The terrified look in the boy's eyes was something she almost empathized with. Duty had taken over at the last second, and Amice had thrown her spear.  
  
The dawn bell chimed softly, and Amice came out of her trance. Alianne was leaning against the door, smiling. "I thought that this is where you'd be."  
  
Amice looked down, turning red. "I'm sorry."  
  
Alianne walked over and put an arm around Amice's shoulders. "There's nothing to be sorry about. You need to think."  
  
Amice hung her head. "How am I ever going to be a knight, Alianne? Why is it bothering me so much?"  
  
Alianne wasn't a fool, and knew what Amice was talking about. She hugged her sister closer. "Amice, it isn't wrong. It's what sets us apart from the bad guys. What makes a person evil is that they don't know, or care, about the bad they do. We think, and feel bad, and try to make amends. That's how we face ourselves. And the gods know it."  
  
Amice exhaled. The rawness that she felt was ebbing away. "Thanks." 


	5. Old Friends

Amice's Viewpoints  
  
After years of training, Amice was beginning to feel the real rewards. She worked hard, and was usually only beat by her mother and Alainne.  
  
Nobody knew where Emma was. Most presumed her dead, but Amice knew better. She saw Emma, occasionally, hanging in the air, or in a mirror.  
  
It was almost midwinter, and a warm year. Amice enjoyed the warmth, but knew that it was truly a bad omen. Less snow meant that the immortals were more active, and the upcoming farming year would be dry.  
  
She was right about the immortals. In an unofficial court tally, Amice had killed more spidrens than any other page. When not on border patrol with Alianne, Amice enjoyed it with the squires.  
  
Alanna and George came a few weeks before Midwinter. All was well at Pirate's Swoop. It was one day, everything being done, that Alianne suggested they go into the city for the evening. There was a twinkle in George's eyes and a grin on Alanna's face that drove Amice mad.  
  
"Amice, go get the grandson." Alanna ordered. "We'll introduce you all at the Court."  
  
"Court? What court? I can't be presented yet."  
  
"Just go. You'll see."  
  
Amice trotted off to find Thom.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
It was a busy night; the din from inside the tavern could be heard down the street. Amice could just make out 'The Dancing Dove' on the faded sign above the door.  
  
Just outside George took a deep breath. "Feels just like home." He led them inside.  
  
There was a silence as the large party entered the Inn. An old man stared for a moment, the grinned. A young woman in a blue cloak gasped and fled.  
  
George broke the silence. "Marek Swiftknife, how are you?"  
  
All else was lost in the melee of hugs and introductions that followed. Amice got her arm pumped off half a dozen times by her parent's old friends. Larac, the innkeeper, found them a table. He was about to get them all brandy when Alanna stepped in and got lemonade for the two youngest. Amice and Thom pouted.  
  
The chatter around them barely subsided after a quarter of an hour. The drinks didn't come either.  
  
"Salven!" Larac called hoarsely. "Where are you, girl?"  
  
"I'll find her." offered a flower seller.  
  
"You do that." Larac ordered. "See, this Salven girl is new, from the Grimhold Mountains, and real mysterious, but usually she works well, so I don't ask no questions."  
  
The blue-cloaked girl came back with two pitchers and several cups balanced precariously on her arms. Larac chided her, and she murmered and incomprehensible apology. When the drinks were served, Salven went to see to the wants of a rowdy group of Rogues in the corner.  
  
Amice watched her, letting the adult's talk wash over her. Salven's face was hidden by her hood, but dark brown hair fell around her neck. Amice was painfully reminded of Emma. She looked away.  
  
"...knew your foster-daughters well." Larac was saying. "Real shame. But I shouldn't talk about it. It was only a small while ago."  
  
Amice winced, thwarted once again. The Salven girl was removing a drunk. He laughed, the sound burbling from his chest. His friend protested and tugged at her cloak...  
  
...revealing the black-and-silver hilt of a dirk.  
  
Amice's eyes bulged. "Mynoss, Mithros, and Shakith." she whispered. Absentmindedly, she chewed a nail, thinking. If it was Emma or Emily... It made sense. They came here a lot, preferring not to socialize at the palace.  
  
The Salven girl glanced her way. Immediately Amice became mesmerized by the cracks in the table.  
  
How could she find out who that girl was without looking like an idiot in the off chance that she was wrong? Neither Emma or Emily wore jewelery. Emma kept her dowser. Emily only had Wild Magic, so she didn't carry anything of the sort.  
  
The dowser.  
  
Magic that powerful would be detectable three blocks over, unless Emma kept it hidden.  
  
Gods, Amice thought. Does this have to be so dastardly complicated? She watched the Salven girl from across the room. She didn't look anywhere ready to take off her cloak.  
  
The I'll just help her. It must be ~awfully~ hot under a cloak that hot. Amice drained her beaker and raised her hand, asking for seconds. The girl fetched the pitcher and came over. As she turned to leave, Amice stuck her foot out.  
  
Down the girl tumbled. A quick push with Amice's Gift disloged the hood. The girl slapped the ground and came back up before anyone knew what happened.  
  
Her back was to them. Everyone stared. Amice spotted the dagger in her braid and paused for a moment. The girl swallowed and slowly turned around.  
  
Amice was first to throw herself at Emma because she waas the only one who didn't have a table in the way.  
  
"I'm sorry." Emma whispered. A tear trickled down her cheek. "Emily's dead.  
  
"It's all right. You're not."  
  
Emma looked past them, eyes not seeing anything. "Now I just want to kill the person who did that to her."  
  
Amice was now a little spooked. Emma wasn't prone to killing anyone who didn't present an immediate physical danger to herself. But then again, she thought, we all change, and sometimes not for the better. 


	6. Nestlings

Amice's Viewpoints - Nestlings  
  
Okay, i entered this in a contest at Steelsings, which is an awesome site, and it said , "it must be the first place your fanfic is posted", and this is the second I submitted it, even though the Steelsings deadline isn't till tomorrow, so , hehe, I might get in trouble, but I owe it to you guys, who have been reviewing- I love you Chip! *blows kisses* and anyone else who reviews.. I like reviews.. and anyway, I decided one of the.. five chars in this whole project should be a normal knight, so here ya go.  
  
~`~`~`~`~  
  
Amice licked dry lips and rotated her arms. She waited for Alianne to come back into the pavillion nervously.  
  
Outside she heard trumpets and laughter. Jonathan had declared a festival to be held in celebration of both planting after a hard winter and the birth of the newest prince. It had only seemed natural that Amice would want to compete against other squires in the tournament. Now she just wanted to crawl behind a rock. Had her mother ever felt like this?  
  
Amice's thoughts were interrupted as Alianne came in, aided by the arm of Creshan of Sand River, who had only been knighted that winter. Blood showed through a bandage on one arm.  
  
"Alianne! What happened?" she cried, horrified, as she helped her sister to sit.  
  
"I slipped" Raoul stepped in the opening. "Alianne, are you all right? Your mother would kill me if anything happened to you. I made her agree to let you girls compete."  
  
Amice unrolled the hasty bandage and wipe away the blood with a damp cloth. "It's not serious. You barely got her muscle, Raoul." Amice took a small jar of salve from the table that stood in the tent. "I'll have it healed and by tomorrow you'll be good as new."  
  
"Tomorrow?" Alianne looked horrified. "I have another bout today!"  
  
Amice shushed her. "I'll have to ask mom. I'd let you, but I'm not so sure if you have a case with her at all."  
  
She winced as Alanna strode into the tent. "Hello, mother."  
  
Alanna gave her a sharp glance, and then turned to her wounded daughter. As much as she was loved, Amice thought bitterly, Here it is again. Alianne goes first.  
  
Raoul came forward. "Alanna, I-" He was cut short as Alanna whirled on him. Amice backed up a little; the Lioness was in a temper.  
  
"Now, mom, " she began, and backed off when her mother glared.   
  
"Now nothing. That could have been you, Amice."  
  
"Calm down."  
  
Amice glanced at the speaker and her heart leapt. Salvation! George would help.  
  
It was another hour before everything settled down. Half of it had been spent persuading Alanna to let Alianne compete that day.  
  
Amice sighed and settled down to sharpening her sword when Alanna came back in. "You compete today too."  
  
Amice sighed. "Yeah." It came out small and sounding far-away. "I- I mean, I didn't think that you'd- that you'd remember."  
  
Alanna took Amice's hands in hers. "Did you think I'd forget? Amice, you mean the world to me. I know you tread softly to avoid disturbing what was before you, but you have your own place in my heart. Not Alianne's, or your father's, or anyone else's."  
  
Those words healed the lifetime of trying to fit in among the great siblings and nieces and nephews come before her, of trying to make up for being born to a mother who nearly died doing it. A tear trickled down Amice's face. Alanna wiped it away. "No need for that. Come on." she held Amice close in a hug. "It's hard seeing all my nestlings flying away on me."  
  
Amice looked up at the lined face that had grown worn over the years. "Sometimes they'll come home. Flying is hard work." 


	7. Tournament

Alanna brushed a hair back from Amice's face. "You'll be all right, I guess. They'd hardly let Raoul at the squires." Amice smiled a little.  
  
Alanna let her go. For a moment there was nothing to say. The blare of trumpets outside jerked them both back to reality.  
  
"Alianne!" Amice cried, and they both ran out. Alianne was waiting, writhing to fasten one of the shoulder clasps on her armour. Amice, her squire, ran up to close it. "Sorry I'm late," she gasped, "I'll help."  
  
Alianne smiled her thanks as she staggered up the mounting blocks. The weight of her armour was so great she could no longer swing into the saddle at all. Amice took Alianne's stallion by the reins, with her other hand checking to see whether or not the girth was too tight. She then grabbed Alianne's hand and helped her sister slide on to the waiting destrier.  
  
Alianne nodded to her mother and sister and heeled the horse off to the field. She was dressed in Pirate's Swoop colours, but Amice spied a coloured cloth tied to her sister's arm.  
  
"Mom," she asked, "Whose colour is Ali wearing?"  
  
"Colours?" Alanna looked at Amice, not understanding, until the girl gestured at her upper arm. "Oh. Colours. We're negotiating.. she's being betrothed to Merlit of Naxen."  
  
Amice gaped. "And you never told me? Either of you?"  
  
"It wasn't finalized until today, really."  
  
Amice felt like sulking. "She said that we went to Naxen because Gary wanted scrolls from the library here. She never mentioned anything about Merlit."  
  
Alanna laughed. "Perhaps she didn't want a nosy sister."  
  
"I'd really like to know when being her squire stops and being her sister and her friend begins."  
  
Alanna rubbed her arms. "It depends on the knightmaster."  
  
Amice looked closer at her mother. Was that a blush?  
  
~`~`~`~`~  
  
Since Amice was only a squire, one of the new arrivals was assigned to take care of her. The girl was only a few years younger than Amice herself, having arrived late for training. Amice had begun to befriend her; she was the one who had helped out with Emma that night at the Dancing Dove. She also chattered nonstop.  
  
"Aren't you nervous? I'd be. Not the fighting, really, but all those people... Oh, it gives me shivers. The tests must be awful that way. I heard about your sister. What's this Merlit person like? How can you have only met him once? Rumour is she visited him often.. oh, sorry, here's you dagger, your lance is polished..."  
  
Amice listened to the chatter, giving minimal answers. Inside she concentrated, doing meditation breathing. Her head was a clear ring of silence. She did her stretches, warming her body like a fiddle, confident in the latent strength that lay there.  
  
It was mid-afternoon before Amice's bout was called. Her first was with Creshan of Sand River, the boy from her study group who had brought Ali in earlier in the day. Wearing a mail shirt, she carried a blank shield indicating her rank as squire. Slowly she walked her horse out onto the lane, feeling him shift his feet in readiness. Amice kept a light hand on the reins; in the state he was in, any perssure at all would send him backwards. Creshan, it seemed, took his time about coming out. He winked at her across a hundred feet of grass and spectators before lowering his visor. Amice bowed to the king, as Creshan did, and lowered her own visor. Creshan was half Marenite, so he didn't need to wait to make observances to the king before covering his face with the metal shield.  
  
Amice set her lance, and then gave forward rein whilst simultaneously heeling her horse. Her destrier thundered foward as she concentrated on the side of Creshan's shield. His weakness, she knew from practice, was an angle hit. His seat was too good to be unhorsed by a central blow.  
  
Amice's lance shuddered, and knocked him partly aside. His lance never touched her at all. Amice let her mount run to the other end of the lane amid graons from the crowd. "Unhorse the mage's bastard!" a voice cried from the crowd.  
  
One for Creshan, she thought, not noticing the rain of fruit and bread that hit the naysayer. She was all but deaf now as she wrenched her horse around and headed for Creshan. Her mind was blank, a roaring in her ears. The figure on the gray became larger. Amice was barely concious of her lnce raising, hitting his shield in a top corner. He flew backwards as his lance briefly shuddered, forcing her back. Amice leaned forward, digging her but into the seat jockey for all she was worth. She held.  
  
Life around her suddenly sprang back to life as the crowd roaerd. Amice took off her helmet and dismounted to give Creshan a hand up. "Did I hurt you?"  
  
He smiled. "Just my pride. You were too fast coming back from the first pass."  
  
Amice grinned. "I'm glad."  
  
Slowly she took her horse's reins and mounted. After bowing to the king, she exited the field and nearly fell off her horse as her knees turned to jelly.  
  
Alanna came to her side, giving her a hand down. "how'd I do?" Amice asked.  
  
Alanna did smiled. "You made a mother proud." 


End file.
